Johnny Carson Dies at 79

Born in Corning, Iowa in 1925 and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, Carson was once known to friends and family as "The Great Carsoni". Performing magic tricks, ventriloquism and singing during his youth, it was as if he was preparing to be one of the greatest talk show hosts of all time - and he was just that.

His Midwestern charm got audiences laughing from 1962 until 1992, when he retired from 'The Tonight Show' and Bette Midler sang 'One More for the Road' to Carson, as he shed a famous tear. Even though the last broadcast was kept relatively low-key, more than 50 million viewers tuned in to watch the humbly hilarious Carson sign off.

As the final show neared the end, he graciously remarked, "I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I bid you a heartfelt goodnight." Johnny Carson died after a long battle with emphysema surrounded by friends and family this past Sunday, he will be sorely missed.